Rounds Secures South Dakota Wins in Senate-Passed FY26 NDAA

Legislation includes Rounds’ provision to ban foreign adversaries from buying farmland near sensitive sites
WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, released the following statement on the full Senate’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This is the 11th NDAA that Rounds has helped author as a member of SASC, and the 65th consecutive NDAA passed by the full Senate.
“The NDAA is a critical piece of legislation passed each year which authorizes funding for our national security, as well as our servicemembers and their families,”said Rounds. “Just like our committee version of the bill, we secured many wins for South Dakota, including $378 million for construction projects at Ellsworth to prepare for the B-21, $28 million for the Watertown Army National Guard vehicle maintenance facility and $3.4 billion for procurement of B-21 aircraft. The NDAA also authorizes funding to support a 3.8 percent raise for military members. This NDAA keeps the U.S. ahead of the curve and takes care of our men and women in uniform who fight every day to protect our freedoms. I’m hopeful that these provisions will remain as we conference this bill with the House of Representatives.
“The full Senate’s version of the NDAA also includes my legislation to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near sensitive military sites. Our near-peer adversaries are looking for any possible opportunity to surveil our nation’s capabilities and resources. This is a preventative measure to keep these nations out of our business and away from our most critical resources.
“Despite what my Democrat colleagues want the American people to think, we can still do bipartisan work in the Senate. Leader Thune has worked hard this year to get the Senate back to regular order, in which we pass appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis every year. The NDAA is a great example of that. As we remain in a government shutdown, I hope my Democrat colleagues decide to work with us to open the government up. After that happens, we can continue to work through the pressing issues that are facing the American people.”
In March, Roundswas namedas the 6th most effective member of the United States Senate on defense and national security issues for the 118th Congress. Read a list of his provisions in this year’s NDAA below.
Rounds’ South Dakota Victories:
Rounds’ Major National Defense Victories:
Rounds-Supported Victories:
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